A dc 9-30 in descent at fl 200 declared an emergency and diverted due to loss of cabin pressure and report of tail compartment fire, and smoke caused by an air cycle machine disconnected outlet duct.

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Attributes
ACN	493916
Time
Date	200012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	493916
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cabin altimeter other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At approximately. Fl 200 the 'cabin pressure' and master warning light illuminated. Cabin pressure indicated 11500 ft checklist for cabin pressure loss was initiated, along with emergency descent. At approximated 11000 ft MSL flight attendant advised of smoke and fire in the tail compartment. An emergency was declared and we landed immediately, stopping straight ahead on the runway. Aircraft was shut down and forward evacuate/evacuation slides deployed. Arff was in immediate contact with cockpit and relayed that there was no longer a fire danger. Ti was decided that slides would not be prudent for passenger evacuate/evacuation. Stairs, buses and tow bar / tug were requested. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a dc 9-30 and the cause of the loss of cabin pressure was the outlet duct on the air cycle machine became disconnected. The reporter said it may have been a failed duct clamp, but did not see the clamp, or follow up. The reporter stated the smoke and fire report was false as the flight attendant looked into the tail compartment and saw moisture laden air confusing it with smoke. The reporter said the airline was not evacuate/evacuationed but the front door slides were deployed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC 9-30 IN DSCNT AT FL 200 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE AND REPORT OF TAIL COMPARTMENT FIRE, AND SMOKE CAUSED BY AN AIR CYCLE MACHINE DISCONNECTED OUTLET DUCT.

Narrative: AT APPROX. FL 200 THE 'CABIN PRESSURE' AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CABIN PRESSURE INDICATED 11500 FT CHKLIST FOR CABIN PRESSURE LOSS WAS INITIATED, ALONG WITH EMER DSCNT. AT APPROXIMATED 11000 FT MSL FA ADVISED OF SMOKE AND FIRE IN THE TAIL COMPARTMENT. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND WE LANDED IMMEDIATELY, STOPPING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE RWY. ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN AND FORWARD EVAC SLIDES DEPLOYED. ARFF WAS IN IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH COCKPIT AND RELAYED THAT THERE WAS NO LONGER A FIRE DANGER. TI WAS DECIDED THAT SLIDES WOULD NOT BE PRUDENT FOR PAX EVAC. STAIRS, BUSES AND TOW BAR / TUG WERE REQUESTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A DC 9-30 AND THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE WAS THE OUTLET DUCT ON THE AIR CYCLE MACHINE BECAME DISCONNECTED. THE RPTR SAID IT MAY HAVE BEEN A FAILED DUCT CLAMP, BUT DID NOT SEE THE CLAMP, OR FOLLOW UP. THE RPTR STATED THE SMOKE AND FIRE REPORT WAS FALSE AS THE FA LOOKED INTO THE TAIL COMPARTMENT AND SAW MOISTURE LADEN AIR CONFUSING IT WITH SMOKE. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRLINE WAS NOT EVACED BUT THE FRONT DOOR SLIDES WERE DEPLOYED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.